Tolerant side of NZ society noted | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Faimeh Burke is set to add an international flavour to local politics.

Burke, who has lived in Christchurch for the last six and a half years, was elected to the Fendalton-Waimairi community board in October.

Of course she's already well primed for the local political scene ?? her husband Sir Kerry Burke is the chair of Environment Canterbury.

Iran-born Burke also lived in Austria, where she gained a masters in political science, for 18 years before moving to New Zealand.

She said she enjoyed political life in Christchurch.

"I think politics here is quite progressive, quite liberal and very open. In some countries it wouldn't be easy for migrants to take part in politics,'' she said.

"I think that society is very tolerant and open to ideas from very far left and very far right. I've visited a lot of places in my life, but I've hardly seen a society so tolerant."

Burke believed the city's recycling could be improved to lessen the amount of rubbish that went into landfill.

"One of the ways I suggest is that we have a separate bin for bio-waste, like many European countries have. When you look at our rubbish bags you see half of them are full with organic waste or kitchen waste."

On top of that she wants to see more education about recycling.

Burke has advocated the plight of migrants in the city since she arrived. She said the city is open to migrants, but people arriving in the country need to be willing to put in the time and effort to get out and meet people. When not working on community board issues, the mother of three works as an immigration consultant.

"When I came here I saw that there were differences and I thought I could make some positive changes," she said.